What Happens When You Don't Get Enough Sleep

It was one of those workdays where I just could not seem to get anything done.

My project deadline was looming, and I was having trouble getting my head in the game. Despite my efforts I felt foggy and could not stay focused for long; even the easiest tasks of the day seemed challenging. “Get it together,” I coached myself. In only an hour it would be time to leave to pick up the kids.

The lack of sleep I was getting was taking its toll. I simply could not shut my mind off at night and it had become an unwanted routine to wake up at 4 a.m. “Other high performing entrepreneurs seem to function fine with only a few hours of sleep a night,” I told myself.

In juggling work and my kid’s schedule, there simply was not time for me to worry about the amount of sleep I was getting.

Though I struggled with getting good sleep for many years, I have to admit I didn’t pay much attention to it.

This is the fourth blog in the series Health Reset in response to one of the top challenges you are facing – staying healthy and fit. Today the focus is on sleep. You will learn the importance of good sleep to the rest of your health and how to incorporate a simple evening success ritual.

Today’s Work Culture Doesn’t Promote Sleep

You may, like I did for a long time, not have sleep as a top priority.

It seems that today’s work culture values and even brags on those who work too much and sleep too little.

Dr. Matthew Walker, a renowned author in the field of sleep science puts it this way. “We glorify the high-powered executive on email until 1 a.m., and then in the office by 5:45 a.m.; we laud the airport “warrior” who has traveled through five different time zones on seven flights over the past eight days.”

The same argument you may use for not having time to exercise or prepare the right meals for yourself is also used regarding sleep.

You don’t have enough time to sleep because you have so much work to do.

Dr. Walker claims it to likely be just the opposite. He suggests the reason Executives still have so much to do at the end of the day is precisely because they do not get enough nighttime sleep.

What Does Sleep Deprivation Feel Like

You may be an entrepreneur who is putting in a lot of hours with a never ending to do list. If you are overwhelmed with work and feel like your productivity is not as good as it should be, you may actually be suffering from sleep deprivation.

See if you are experiencing any of these effects of sleep deprivation on your body:

• You have trouble shutting your mind down at night
• You wake up during the night thinking about your to-do list
• You are tired in the morning
• You find yourself foggy during the day
• You lack your usual energy
• You find it hard to concentrate
• You are irritable and trivial things tend to upset you

Why Getting Good Sleep Matters

There is now countless evidence that shows the benefits of a good night of sleep. It is essentially free medicine to a longer, healthier, happier life. Here are a few reasons why it is foundational:

Sleep improves your mental health. Sleep and mental health are closely connected. If you sleep well, you wake up feeling rested, energized, and ready to tackle the day.

Good sleep, especially in the REM sleep cycle, helps you to process and store thoughts and memories. This type of restorative sleep is a natural mood lifter and makes you less reactive.

Sleep boosts your immune system. Sleep research shows that when you sleep your body produces a protein called cytokines, which target infection and inflammation.

When you don’t get enough sleep the opposite occurs – production of these protective proteins is decreased.

Sleep makes your heart stronger. American Heart Association researchers found that getting good sleep keeps your heart healthy. Adversely, sleep deprivation is linked with high blood pressure and an increased calcium buildup in the heart’s arteries.

Sleep keeps your brain healthy. Dr. Daniel Amen in his book, Change Your Brain Change Your Life states, “One of the fastest ways to hurt your brain is to get less than seven or eight hours of sleep at night.”

Poor sleep is associated with lower blood flow to the brain, and impacts your focus, memory, and mood for days after.

Several studies show that sleep deprivation impairs your cognitive and motor performance similar to being alcohol intoxicated!

Sleep helps you prevent weight gain. New research from the JAMA Internal Medicine suggests that an extra hour of sleep every night decreases your daily calorie intake by 270 calories a day. Adequate sleep helps people stick to a heathier diet.

Sleep improves your productivity. As entrepreneurs, your ability to perform at a high level is key to driving your business forward. Sleep and quality job performance go hand in hand.

In a study by Journal of Sleep Research in 2003, a group of 50 undergraduate students participated in a sleep test to show what the effect of sleep loss was on productivity the next day.

Participants who were sleep deprived were less productive, less creative, and had a decreased response time to their tasks.

Though sleep loss depleted effort, the participants of both groups, interestingly, thought they were performing well.

Learn to Wind Down at the End of the Day

How do you recover from sleep deprivation? Start to make sleep a priority and practice healthy sleep habits.

The biggest change for me came when I created an evening success ritual. As I was used to feeling “on” all the time, I had to learn to wind down at the end of the day.

It took time. I discovered when I got consistent, quality sleep, I felt like a different person. The difference in my energy and overall wellbeing convinced me that sleep is as important as nutritious food and exercise, if not more important.

Your body thrives on structure, and you have an internal biological clock called the circadian rhythm that regulates many processes in your body, including sleep. Just like you have routines in place to start your day, it helps to have a similar wind down routine at the end of the day.

Create an evening success ritual that helps you to wind down and let go of the stresses of your day.

If you have younger kids, you likely already have a bedtime routine for them – like a bath and story time. You can piggyback their winddown with the start of your own.

Ask yourself what kind of activities do you enjoy that calm and relax you? Then incorporate them into your own nighttime ritual.

Here are some of my favorites:

• Slow down your body with restorative yoga
• Watch the sunset
• Read or listen to an enjoyable book
• Dim the lights
• Put on soft music
• Have a cup of chamomile or valerian tea
• Take a warm shower or bath
• Meditate
• Reflect on your day and be grateful

Now, it is your turn.

Take 10 minutes to write down your own evening success ritual. Choose a regular bedtime hour with your winddown starting one to two hours before. Your ritual should include things that calm you down and prepare your body for rest.

Remember, when you do not get enough sleep, it robs you of your ability to perform at your best.

Commit to make sleep a priority and get ready for the positive difference it will make in your life.